The Temptations of THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

Director Martin Scorsese’s ongoing collaboration with actor Leonardo DiCaprio has yielded highly entertaining, prestigious films (The Departed, The Aviator).  Their latest venture is the true, astonishing tale of Wall Street crook Jordan Belfort whose appetites for money, sex and drugs are a detailed observation on greed and temptation.

An eager, young executive, Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio), experiences the Wall Street disaster of 1987 which wipes out investors and costs him a job.  Anxious to bounce back, he discovers the art of selling unregulated penny stocks and starts his own brokerage.  Soon he is making a lot of money often at the expense of low income earners but also wealthy clients, and with the help of some cronies including new follower, Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill), begins to expand exponentially into a major force in the financial world.  The emotional stress and pressure heighten his need for women, sex, drugs and then drugs upon drugs.  As his excessive lifestyle spirals out of control, the FBI and Securities and Exchange Commission begin investigating his company’s illegal activities that signals the beginning of the end.

DiCaprio (Inception) gives his all as the out-of-control executive whose wealth is surpassed only by his defiance and greed.  It is interesting to contrast his younger, innocent broker with his later, drug addicted shark.  With maniacal fervor, he inspires and rallies a company’s corporate culture.  You are mesmerized by his bold, flamboyant salesman and yet, you look for any semblance of redeeming qualities.  In a sense, Jordan is a metaphor for our corporate society’s love of money and its ultimate corruption. 

Hill (Moneyball) really shows a good range as Belfort’s second in command.  Can this be the same Jonah Hill who had a supporting role in Knocked Up?  Matthew McConaughey has a memorable supporting role as a mentor to Belfort, and their scene together at a rooftop restaurant where McConaughey shows a ritual of self motivation is a hoot.

 

Margot Robbie is well cast as the beautiful woman who captures Jordan’s heart and more.  Rob Reiner has an amusing supporting role as Jordan’s dad who sees the company as a sinking ship.  In fact two other directors, Jon Favreau and Spike Jonze, have bit parts or cameos.  Playing an FBI agent, Kyle Chandler, who has become the go-to actor for government types, is a good foil in his scenes with Jordan aboard a yacht. 

There are some memorable vignettes such as the outrageous attempts to smuggle millions in cash to Europe, the crazy office parties, and an especially hilariously pathetic attempt by Jordan to drive home at the same moment he has a very bad drug reaction.  When the justice system corners him, Jordan faces a decision not unlike the protagonist in Prince of the City. You know how this is going to go down, and when it does, it is an astonishing reversal of fortune.
At three hours, it is constantly engaging and well paced from start to finish courtesy of veteran editor Thelma Schoonmaker.  The sweeping camera shots and rapid cuts show Scorsese at the top of his craft.  He tells much of the film through DiCaprio as narrator and voiceover.  In fact much of this film will remind you of the style and structure of his Good Fellas and Casino, and the ending recalls another Scorsese classic, The King of Comedy.

Make no mistake, despite excellent performances and a strong narrative, this film has scenes that are bordering on NC17; some scenes are so over the top in suggestiveness and explicitness that it would be hard to believe if it wasn’t true.  The film’s depictions may lead some to question the filmmakers’ intent, but Scorsese, without passing judgment, wanted to honestly show greed and power at its worst in the boardroom and the bedroom.  Consider The Wolf of Wall Street as a supremely effective, cautionary tale of abuse of wealth at a time when such behavior flourished unchecked.  You might not like the passengers on this flight, but it is a fascinating ride. 

***1/2 of **** stars